Chapter Text
Dawn yawned as she stepped out of her abode, adjusting her hair. It was nice of Team Galaxy to give her a place to stay and a bed, but sweet Arceus, she missed her cozy bed back home. Sleeping on the wood floor was murder on her back…
She had to wake up early today. Something about meeting the clan leaders? Honestly, she had been playing the past week by ear. Dawn had joined the Galaxy team out of pure necessity - she needed food and a place to sleep afterall - and as such she’d been doing everything Kamado and Cyllene had told her to do.
The very idea of joining the Galaxy Team raised all sorts of alarm bells in her head, but they didn’t seem to have the same ideals and beliefs as the modern day Team Galactic…at least she hoped.
(Potato Mochi be damned, if the Galaxy Team showed shreds of being anything similar to Team Galactic, she was running for the hills and she wasn’t coming back.)
“About time you get up!” says Rei as he greets her. “Sun’s up, it’s time to work.”
Dawn desperately wanted to say something snarky in reply. Something like ‘Where I’m from, we never did that’, but alas, she couldn’t. Dawn had been playing the part of ‘amnestic teenage girl’ flawlessly to avoid any time conundrums. It killed her inside, at times, when she desperately wanted to make a crude or terrible joke, but the idea of someone writing down her shitty jokes and them being preserved for centuries made her want to die inside.
“Yeah, sorry.” was all Dawn could say in reply. “The clan leaders are coming today, yeah?”
Rei nodded. “That’s correct! They’ve heard a bit about you! They want to see you before you go off on your duties.”
“Is that right?” Ugh. Dawn didn’t want to get involved in politics and adult drama. Why couldn’t people just get along? She might be able to slip away early under the guise of work. “You know, I’m going to be really busy for the professor, and my Riptide needs more training-”
“You named your pokemon?” Rei said, sounding baffled. “Why?”
“Uh, because I love him?” Dawn shot back. True, she missed her Empoleon with all her heart and soul, but Riptide the Oshawott was a gentle soul and she loved him just as much.
The boy frowned. “Well, if you say so. The clan leaders are waiting outside Galaxy hall with a few wardens. Let’s hurry to the headquarters.”
Dawn sighed, stretching her aching joints before letting Riptide out of his ball. The oshawott gave a little shake, brushing his whiskers before looking up at her with a chirp. “Gonna need your moral support, bud.” Dawn sighed. “I have a feeling it’s going to be a long, long day.”
The little ‘wott nodded, little paws holding onto her pant legs. It was hard to imagine that anyone could be afraid of pokemon at times…but then she remembered the shinx that gave her a good zap and nearly knocked her out.
There was a small crowd outside the Galaxy Hall now, and Dawn sighed again before putting on what she hoped to be a dopey smile on her face. The false smile quickly fell as the presumed leaders of the clans began yelling at one another.
“Look who’s being punctual! Finally realized you’re wasting almighty Sinnoh’s precious time by bowing to a sham?!” a man dressed predominantly in blue yelled.
A blonde woman in pink shouted back, “There you go again, insisting on your false image of almighty Sinnoh as a ruler of time! My people follow the true almighty Sinnoh - the font of all creation and ruler of space!”
Dawn thought those descriptions sounded familiar…but they weren’t called almighty Sinnoh. Of course Dialga would be involved in some form, the blue bastard.
“Hah!” the man in blue barked a laugh. “You could have all the space there is and still not know what to do with it!”
“Excuse me?! Are you really suggesting that you make better use of your time than we make of vast Hisui’s space?!”
“Is it too late to leave?” Dawn whispered to Rei.
“Yes.” he whispered back.
Unwilling to back down, the man continued to bark, “Better than some! It’s a miracle you showed up on time, mighty leader of the Pearl Clan. I worried you’d get lost in the pointlessly vast space you’re so fond of and never show up.”
The woman in pink was just as unwavering. “Me, get lost?” She scoffed. “In almighty Sinnoh’s great gift to the Pearl Clan - in our world’s very basis? You wish! ”
Dawn was unable to stop herself from speaking out. “If you truly value time, why waste it arguing?” She wished she could take it back, but it was a bit too late now, with at least 4 adults staring at her like a pack of Luxrays.
The man in blue spoke after a moment, turning away. “Almighty Sinnoh, forgive me for wasting your precious time with arguing- I’m going to Commander Kamado’s office!”
The woman followed him up the steps. “I believe it was YOU who started this!” And the two continued to bicker up the stairs and in the building, the other two nodding to each other before dispersing to the rest of Jubilife village. One of them she knew as Mai, the warden of Wyrdeer. The other…she wasn’t sure.
“Yikes. Next time, maybe don’t say anything.” Rei chuckled. “That could have been bad. You can really feel the tension when those two show up. You haven’t met them, have you? The woman with reverence for space is Irida, leader of the Pearl Clan. The man who was going on and on about time, Adaman, leads the Diamond Clan.”
He sighed. “The Diamond Clan and the Pearl Clan grudgingly coexist at the moment. Apparently, things used to be less peaceful.”
“Less peaceful?” God, at least she didn’t fall during that period. “Who were the other two?” Dawn asked. She wasn’t able to get a good glimpse at them, paralyzed by their staring.
“Warden Mai is from the Diamond Clan, and Warden Ingo is from the Pearl Clan, er, kinda. You’ll have to ask him.”
Dawn wondered if Wardens could be Gym Leader precursors. “...Rei, I don’t want to go inside that building.” Riptide whimpered in agreement.
Rei gave her a sympathetic look. “Yeah, me neither. But the boss - I mean, the commander - is waiting. We can talk about this more after you report to him.”
All she could do was nod slowly. Riptide the ‘wott tugged on her pant leg, wanting to be picked up. She obliged, knowing that one day, they might be too big to be held. Dawn took a deep breath, and went inside.
What was the worst that could happen?
Well, she could be kicked out of town and left to die in the woods. Yikes.
She could still hear them arguing as she walked up the steps, her legs feeling like pecha jelly.
“What do you intend to do about that Kleavor, Commander Kamado?!” Adaman shouted, sounding equally exasperated and enraged. “He may be descended from a warrior of almighty Sinnoh, but look at the mess he’s causing! We can’t sit back and let him rage on!”
Commander Kamado kept his calm composure. “You do get right to the point, Adaman…”
(He had to be Rowan’s ancestor. That facial hair and the inability to crack a smile had to be hereditary.)
“Time wasted is lost.” Adaman huffed.
“Well, tell me - what would you have us do? Kleavor is a precious lord of the Pearl Clan, is he not?”
“That is my point.” he replied quickly. “My clan can’t intervene directly where a lord of the Pearl Clan’s concerned. If my people were to do something, our two clans might end up back at each other’s throats - just like we used to be.” Adaman spoke so quickly, it was hard for Dawn to hear at times. “But even folk of the Galaxy Team have been wounded, haven’t they? Seems someone’s got to do something here…”
Irida scoffed, finally managing to get a word in. “Who, then? Would the Diamond Clan have the Pearl Clan bring down one of its own honored nobles?”
“I don’t believe I said that.” he shot back, hissing like a seviper who’s tail got stepped on. “Thought it, maybe.”
“You might as well have said it, you fool!” she growled. “Look - we don’t even know what drove Lord Kleavor into such a violent frenzy.
“I’d like to know that myself. This is a first as far as my clan knows too.”
Dawn took a step back. Maybe, if she was quiet enough, she could just leave-
Commander Kamado stared her down. “Hrrm. I see you’ve arrived.” Now aware of her, Adaman and Irida stared at her as well.
Dawn squeaked, squeezing Riptide close. “This is Akari.” Kamado introduced. “The newest member of our Survey Corps.”
Right, that was her fake name. It was her grandmother’s name, and the most old-lady name she could think of. She couldn’t stop herself from shaking as she saluted. Riptide also did a salute with a free paw.
Adaman’s behavior immediately flipped, grinning at Dawn warmly. “Aha! I hear from Mai you’ve won Wyrdeer’s favor! Good to finally meet you, stranger from the rift!” he grasped her free hand firmly. “I’m ‘Adaman, leader of the Diamond Clan,’ if you want to be formal! But that’s a mouthful. Just call me Adaman.”
When he wasn’t yelling and angry, he was almost kinda…friendly. Warm and amicable. Dawn awkwardly shook his hand, to his confusion. “Is that how you greet people from the rift?” he asked, eyes wide.
“Uhm. Yes!” Dawn said with a nervous smile.
Irida touched her shoulder gently, and in a quiet voice she asked, “If you came from the space-time rift…could you be from the space where almighty Sinnoh is said to reside?”
Then, clearing her throat, she continued, “I’m Irida, leader of the Pearl Clan! Caution and foresight are my watchwords.”
Breaking free from Adaman’s surprisingly strong grip, Dawn offered her hand for Irida to shake, but was ignored. Instead, she frowned.“Which is why I have trouble believing in such a tale. Could you really have passed through that rift?”
A bit wary, Irida was, but Dawn could respect that. “I…don’t recall seeing any almighty Sinnoh.” was her nervous answer.
Commander Kamado cleared his throat, getting their attention back. “I have a proposition. Why not send this one to study Kleavor before deciding what must be done?”
Irida turned and snapped, “You’d send this stranger, who supposedly fell from the rift , to study Kleavor? This newcomer with no experience?”
Adaman scoffed, muttering under his breath, “Says the leader with no experience.”
Oh, great, they were arguing again. Dawn completely tuned out this time, too busy worrying about these strangers asking her personal questions and what in Sinnoh was a ‘Kleavor’?
“...I’m sold, Commander. Let’s try this your way!”
Dawn snapped back to reality with a confused noise.
“This should be fun!” Adaman said, clapping his hands together. “I’ll get to see how good you Galaxy folk really are, with all your weird ways -putting Pokemon in those strange balls and what have you.” He gestured to Riptide. “She doesn’t seem to!”
Riptide also made a confused noise.
“That whole practice bothers me!” Irida shouted. “Almighty Sinnoh made Hisui vast so Pokemon could live free throughout! We’re meant to stand alongside Pokemon, not count ourselves above them!”
Dawn was about to defend the practice of Pokeballs, but Kamado beat her to the punch. “We do not use Pokeballs from a desire to control our pokemon. Only so that we can live together. Allow us to show you what we can do!”
Kamado stepped forward, putting a hand on Dawn’s shoulder. “This is your mission now, Akari.” he said firmly, giving her shoulder a squeeze. If it was supposed to be reassuring, it didn’t work. “I order you to study Kleavor and help us find the truth of this situation!”
“I-I accept.” she said with a nod.
“Remember that you are a stranger who appeared one day out of the very sky above us. People are naturally suspicious of your presence here.” he said. Dawn glanced at Irida, who couldn’t make eye contact. “If you wish to be fully accepted and trusted, you must work hard. Work yourself to the very bone. ”
Dawn gulped.
“Well, that’s settled!” Adaman said, grinning. “And there’s no time like the present!”
Irida was less enthusiastic. “The Lord of the Woods - Kleavor - is descended from a Pokemon that was blessed with almighty Sinnoh’s own power. No other Pokemon you’ve yet encountered can compare to his strength. Be warned.”
Dawn’s legs were shaking, and she couldn’t get them to stop. Irida passed her on the way out, and Adaman pat her on the shoulder before following.
Dawn stared at the floor as Commander Kamado clucked his tongue. “The Galaxy Team has come to the Hisui region as a group of outsiders. Some might even call us interlopers. We mustn’t do anything to threaten our relations with the Diamond and Pearl Clans. Understood?”
A chilling, all-too-familiar voice behind her added, “Join me downstairs, Akari.” Cyllene said, her voice monotone. “We’ll cover the details of this new mission.”
The Mission debriefing was a vague blur. Rei and the professor greeted her downstairs, but once the professor mentioned how Kleavor was nigh invincible, Dawn couldn’t really focus anymore.
Was she going to die? Was this Kleavor going to kill her? Why had she never heard of Kleavor before? Cyllene had spoken for a long time, then asked a question, and all Dawn could do was nod slowly.
“Akari!” Mai shouted from behind, jostling Dawn back to reality. “We need to speak with you.”
“Y-Yes, M’am? Sir? Uhm, Leader sir?” Dawn stammered, unsure how to properly address Wardens or Clan Leaders yet.
Dawn was comforted by the fact that Adaman chuckled, replying, “Hey, I said Adaman is fine!” Next to him, Mai nodded. He continued, “Listen - that first in space-time seems like it connects this world to a whole other world. That world might be where almighty Sinnoh itself resides - the true almighty Sinnoh, that is.”
He spoke so quickly, not as fast as before, but still nearly too fast for Dawn to properly hear him. “So if you fell through the space-time rift, that might mean…you traveled through time - by almighty Sinnoh’s own power! Think of it! You must’ve just been swimming in its divine might!”
“It’s possible, I’m not really…religious-”
“Well I’ve got a favor to ask of you, oh amazing time traveler.” He was sounding really excited now, almost awestruck. “Don’t just study Kleavor. Quell his frenzy!”
Beside her, Professor Laventon chuckled. “Well, you certainly caught us at a good time, young Adaman! We were just discussing our next steps with regard to this whole Kleavor situation.”
Oh, was that what they were talking about? All Dawn could think about was how there was a high likelihood of her being torn to shreds.
“Oho! You must be that Galaxy Team scholar I’ve heard about. Good to meet you, Mr. Professor.” Adaman greeted, “Share some of that knowledge with me sometime!”
But he turned back to Dawn, kneeling to be at her eye level, hand on her shoulder. “Now, let me elaborate a little. Those Pearl Clan types have a lot of respect for Kleavor. You heard his title - Lord of the Woods.” He couldn’t stop himself from sneering at that last sentence. “I’m sure they’d rather get this under control, too, but it’s hard for them to come right out and ask those of the Galaxy Team, of all people, for help.”
Adaman seemed to hesitate, only continuing when Mai nudged him. “...and the truth is, we in the Diamond Clan have a similar problem on our hands. A Pokemon dear to us, off in the mountains, has flown into the same type of frenzy as Kleavor. Now there’s certainly bad blood between us and Pearl Clan, but still… We’ve all got to share Hisui, and that means we ought to tackle our problems together.”
“That’s very wise of you.” Dawn said with a nod, Riptide chirping in agreement.
Mai stepped up as well. “But there aren’t many capable of standing up to such powerful Pokemon. You’re the best hope we’ve got.”
Dawn chuckled nervously. Being Champion was one thing. Throwing herself to metaphorical Houndooms and Mighteyenas for these people who barely tolerate her presence at times?
“You’ll find Kleavor at Grandtree Arena. That’s in the very heart of the Heartwood. His warden is a boy named Lian. Lian is a brilliant child but also a bit…well. Sometimes brilliance can be blinding, you know. He’ll tell you all about his beloved Kleavor - whether you wish him to or not.”
Adaman stood back up with an almost casual grin. “Anyway, I’m sure you’re up to the challenge…so we’ll be counting on you! See you later!”
Dawn watched Adaman and Mai leave, the realization hitting her at full force: She had no idea what a Kleavor was, but it sounded Dangerous, and she had agreed to take care of it.
If she lived to see the day, she’d throttle Arceus for sending her here.
“If you’re going to study, and perhaps even quell Kleavor, you’d best start by visiting his abode.” said the professor.
Rei shot up, standing next to Dawn. “Our new Heights Camp would be a handy place for setting out toward Grandtree Arena.” He announced. “C’mon, I’ll take you there!”
Dawn nodded, returning Riptide to his pokeball and running to catch up. “I’ll want to stop by the pastures, before we truly depart.” she told Rei as the two stepped outside.
Instead, Rei and Dawn were met with a man. A slouching man with a dirty coat and hat, wearing a shirt with the Pearl Clan insignia. He tipped his cap slightly, glancing at the two with grey, glassy eyes.
“Good day, children. I came to visit with Irida, as I heard there was a newcomer to the village.” The way he spoke, it was different. When Dawn first arrived, it was a bit jarring hearing how differently everyone spoke. But the way this man spoke, it was even more different.
“I heard that they fell from the sky, and lack memories of their past.” he continued.
Oh, shit. He was talking about Dawn, wasn’t he? What did he want with her? He looked and acted strange, even more so than Dawn was accustomed to in this period of time.
Dawn looked him up and down. His coat was ripped to near shreds, bits of white stuffing leaking from his hat. The metal buttons on his coat were dull, his boots no longer-
Wait. Wait hold on. His outfit. His manner of speech. It was almost… modern?
“Akari, I think he’s referring to you!” said Rei as he nudged her side with his elbow, unaware of her internal thoughts. “You’re Ingo, right? Warden from the Pearl Clan?”
The man - Ingo, if Dawn was led to believe, nodded. “I believe our tracks may converge, at least on some level. You see, I too, was found wandering these lands, with no memory and no recollection of how I got here, or where I was from.”
“You…you’re like me?” Dawn asked, questioning herself more than Ingo. Could this be another Time Traveler? Another poor soul like her, stuck in the past? “Y-Yeah, that’s me. I ‘fell from the sky’, and I lost my memories.”
Ingo didn’t smile. But the inflections in his voice changed ever so slightly. “I believe we are similar, Lady Akari. I suppose it’s nice to know that I’m not alone in my experiences.”
The words came out of her mouth before she could even properly think. “I want to talk to you about this. Privately. I-In my house.”
“Technically, it’s the house that the Galaxy Team is letting you use-” Rei droned on and on, but Dawn had already grabbed Ingo by the arm and began dragging him behind her.
The idea of having some sort of connection, something in common with another person here…someone to confide in, to talk to in a way she can’t with the others…it formed a lump in Dawn’s throat.
“L-Lady Akari?” Ingo asked, the grip on his sleeve tightening. “Have I said anything that upset you?”
She didn’t answer. Dawn opened the door to her home, practically shoving the disheveled man inside and shutting the door behind her. All of the emotions she had been shoving down were rising up in her chest, causing her breath to hitch. She leaned her head against the closed door, trying to steady her breathing.
“...Lady Akari?” Ingo said, hesitating. “Are…are you alright?”
“My…my name isn’t Akari.” she said slowly, turning to face him. She felt so small, finally confiding in an adult about her problems. “My name is Dawn.”
“Dawn? Then why was I told otherwise?”
“Because! Because…I didn’t really lose my memories.” It felt like a weight had been removed from her back, tears beginning to well in her eyes. “My name is Dawn, and I’m from far, far into the future. I was afraid to tell the truth, people barely like me now, what if they’d refuse to help me?”
Ingo blinked at her, adjusting his hat. “Lady Dawn…” he said quietly, to himself. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you’re from the future too.”
His palid face went even paler. “Are you certain? How can you tell?”
She walked around him, looking him over once more. “Your outfit, your clothing. They use more modern materials, like metal and plastic. The way you talk, it’s more modern as well. We may not be from the same time, but we may be very close.”
She stopped in front of him. The two stared at each other for a long, unbroken silence. Then, without warning, the dam broke.
Dawn started sobbing. Blubbering like a baby, breath hitching and heaving, fat tears streaming down her cheeks. “I-I just wanna go hooomee…” She sobbed. “I-I miss my mom! And my home, and my-my bed! I miss my old pokemon team!”
Ingo was completely dumbfounded, taken so off guard by her actions that all he could do was stand there, awkwardly watching her cry in front of him.
“-a-and I miss going into cities! And towns! And P-PokeCenters!”
There was a flicker of recognition in Ingo’s grey eyes. “PokeCenters?” he asked, slowly.
She sniffled, trying to wipe her face. “Y-Yeah…they-they’re big buildings with red roofs…an-and you can get your pokemon healed by a nurse-”
“The nurse. No matter where you went…did they all look the same?” he asked, kneeling down slightly. “Nurse…Nurse Joy?”
“Yes!” Dawn shouted. “Yes, you’re right! But how did you remember, I thought you lost your memories?”
“I-I didn’t!” Ingo ran his fingers through his hair from underneath his hat. He sounded surprised, confused, and a bit excited. “W-Well, yes, I did. I can only remember fleeting feelings, glimpses of before, never clear enough. But…when you mentioned a PokeCenter just then, it just flashed into my mind. Seeing the building, going inside…clear as could be.”
Dawn continued to sniffle. “And now…I need to go fight a Kleavor, whatever the heck that is…what if I die? What if I die here, and my family never learns what happens to me? W-What if I never get back home-”
Ingo adjusted his cap for the third time and put his hands on her shoulders. “Lady Dawn, you have every right to feel this way, this must be so, so frightening. The fact that you’ve made it this far is very impressive. I have no doubt in my mind, you’re going to be OK.”
Sniffling, Dawn wiped her face and nodded. “OK…I’ll try.”
“When I first came here, I wish I had someone I could talk to,” he admitted. “I’m glad that I can be here for you, at the very least. We aren’t alone in our misfortunes.”
She rushed forward, tackling him in a hug and squeezing tight. Ingo tensed, surprised and unsure of the sudden hug, before slowly returning the gesture.
“I’m going to find a way to get back home.” Dawn said, determination creeping back into her voice. “And I’m not leaving you behind.”